Why This Wildlife Rescue Can Finally End Monkey Coconut Slavery in Thailand

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand has a solid plan to rescue the 3,000 macaques forced to pick coconuts.

A monkey enslaved for coconut harvesting is tied by the collar to the back of a pickup truck in Koh Phangan, Thailand. — Photo by the author.

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Despite living in the Kingdom for many years, I had no idea that macaques were being enslaved and forced to pick coconuts in parts of Thailand until I moved to Koh Phangan and saw it with my own eyes.

On my way to a vegan restaurant, I saw a man holding a long rope tied to a macaque high in the coconut trees. He shouted commands in Thai, forcing the monkey to twist ripe coconuts free and drop them to the ground.

A monkey is forced to pick coconuts while on a leash in Koh Phangan, Thailand. — Screenshot from the author’s video.

It was a common sight when I lived on the island. Every time I saw those slave monkeys, my heart broke. The macaques were always tied up and looked miserable.

I’m lucky to live in Hua Hin now, which is a beach town with a huge wild macaque population. I observed dozens of macaques when hiking in the nearby mountains.